University should be receptive to needs of transgender students
The goals of the Transgender Task Force to make transgender students feel more comfortable in residence halls and university buildings are ambitious and certainly not unreasonable. Providing gender-neutral bathrooms, housing alternatives and health services help for transgender students is something Syracuse University should take into consideration, particularly when planning future residence halls and buildings.
Transgender students should be able to feel comfortable where they live, and not feel like other people will be judging them or wondering why they’re in a certain bathroom. The Transgender Task Force knows the challenges that face these students and the university should take these concerns into consideration.
Having one gender-neutral bathroom per residence hall or university building does not seem unreasonable. ‘Family’ bathrooms that can be used by either gender already exist in plenty of public buildings and are not unusual.
Syracuse should also be ready to meet the needs of these students when it comes to housing and health services, just as they would with students who want to live in a substance-free community or a student who has diabetes. There are programs and services provided by the university for these students – why shouldn’t transgender students also have university resources to rely on?
As the Transgender Task Force moves forward with its plans, the university should be open to their concerns and work with the students in making them feel comfortable.
